Foxconn Hires 30,000 Staff at Women-Led iPhone Plant as India Manufacturing Scales Up

According to The Economic Times, Taiwanese contract manufacturer Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn) employed about 30,000 people at its new iPhone assembly facility in Bengaluru in just eight to nine months, making it one of the fastest factory ramp-ups ever witnessed in India.

The Devanahalli facility, which employs predominantly first-time workers between the ages of 19 and 24 and is controlled mostly by women, is a reflection of Apple's growing efforts to diversify its supply chain outside of China. According to sources cited in the story, the 300-acre facility is currently building the newest iPhone 17 Pro Max smartphones after starting test production with iPhone 16 models in April and May.

Apple’s Expansion Plan for Devanahalli Facility

Over 80% of the production is exported, underscoring India's expanding contribution to Apple's worldwide manufacturing network. Women make up about 80% of the unit's personnel, many of whom are starting their careers. Six sizeable dorms have been constructed by the corporation to house employees; several of these are now in use, and further facilities are being planned. Up to 50,000 workers are anticipated to be employed by the facility when it reaches its maximum capacity next year.

The Devanahalli facility is expected to house more women workers at one site than any other government or commercial establishment in the nation with its planned development. The campus is anticipated to develop into a micro township with residential, medical, educational, and recreational amenities as a result of the migration of workers from adjacent states. Free housing, subsidised meals, and an average monthly income of about INR 18,000—among the highest for women in blue-collar manufacturing positions—are all provided to employees.

Foxconn Spreading its Wings in India

When fully operational, the facility, which Foxconn is investing close to INR 20,000 crore in, will be India's largest factory in terms of both employment and manufacturing capacity. The facility will eventually surpass Foxconn's current iPhone plant in Tamil Nadu and hold up to twelve iPhone manufacturing lines, up from the current four. India's production-linked incentive (PLI) programme, which was introduced in 2021, has helped with the expansion as Apple gradually moves a greater portion of iPhone production to India in the face of geopolitical unpredictability worldwide.

Since the beginning of manufacture, all iPhone models have been assembled in India and sent all over the world. Nearly 45 businesses make up the supply chain that supports Apple's activities in India, which includes logistics, subassembly, and component manufacturing. Before starting production, new hires receive six weeks of on-the-job training as part of Apple's collaboration with partners to develop skills and strengthen the local manufacturing ecosystem.